Fisherman’s amazing Gold Coast Coast catch

A Gold Coast fisherman down on his luck has turned his misfortune around with “the catch of a lifetime”. SEE THE PICTURES

AFTER back surgery took former carpenter Benny Bujnowicz off the tools for the last two years, the 38-year-old spends time fishing with his close friends.

When the father of three went to a secret spot in Varsity Lakes with his mates Johnno and Wilko to catch mangrove jack, he wasn’t expecting what he was about to reel in.

“We were there for awhile and not much was happening, but I told the boys to hang around because I could feel something on my rod,” Mr Bujnowicz said.

Ben Bujnowicz with his 1200mm barramundi, weighing 40lb. Supplied

“My rod started to go off and I was in a battle for 15 minutes. The fish was going for 100-metre runs and then in the distance I’d see something poke its head out.

“I told my mates if this is a jack then I’m about to catch a world record.

“When I finally reeled it in, I had to jump in the water to get it out because I only had a line for 20 pounds.”

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The Burleigh Heads resident pulled out a 1200mm barramundi, that weighed 40lb, much to his mates and his own disbelief.

“They thought I was a freak for getting it in. Johnno and I had spent some time in the Gladstone mines and went fishing weekly but never saw anything like this,” Mr Bujnowicz said.

“They have some big barra in Gladstone but not like this and I’d never expect anything like this out of the Gold Coast.”

Ben Bujnowicz with his 1200mm barramundi, weighing 40lb. Supplied

The fisherman had been down on luck after a major surgery in 2018 forced him to change career paths before COVID-19 slammed the breaks on his new fishing apparel business Inked Fishing.

Unable to do more than a few days on the tools without needing major physiotherapy on his back, Mr Bujnowicz said he couldn’t believe he got the huge fish but wasn’t giving up “the catch of a lifetime”.

EARLIER: FISHERMAN'S WILD UNDERWATER RIDE WITH 'MONSTER' CATCH

A FISHERMAN has been taken for a wild ride trying to catch a “monster” jewfish in Gold Coast waters.

On Tuesday afternoon scuba diver turned fisherman Luke Purdie shared a few drinks with his new workmates to reminisce about his catch on the Coast.

The Adreno team and Luke Purdie, 18, holding his 25kg jewfish that took him for a 50m ride.

Earlier that day, the 18-year-old was spearfishing at Palm Beach Reef with his new work colleagues from the Adreno team, and the Coochiemudlo Island resident was made to work to catch a jewfish lurking beneath him.

“I went down to blow some bubble rings and saw a figure,” Mr Purdie said.

“Turned out it was a monster jewie, so I speared it and it took me for a ride.

“I went for about 50 metres underwater before reining it in.”

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The battle with the jewfish wasn’t over when he resurfaced.

“When I got to the top the fish gave me a good whack in the face,” Mr Purdie said.

“It’s a big fish, so it was a fair whack.”

Mr Purdie said the 25kg catch was worth the wild ride and copping some flak from his workmates, including Tyrone Canning, who had taken the “new young fella” and three other staff members out on his boat.

“He was just mucking around in the water, he wasn’t intending to catch anything when he went down,” Mr Canning said.

“That’s probably why he got it because fish can sense when they’re being hunted.

“I’m not sure how many jewies he’s caught before but when Luke got it, I don’t think he was expecting it to be so strong.

Luke Purdie with his 25kg jewfish catch after it took him for a 50m ride. Supplied

“It took him for a 50-metre hayride, and we saw him pop up at the end, then the jewie gave him a smack in the head.

“I’ve never seen a jewfish in that area before and it was the only thing we caught all day.”

Also known as mulloway, jewfish are often seen in Gold Coast waters but normally in the shallows of the Broadwater.

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Brett Clarke from Coomera Houseboat Holidays said the fish are good fighters.

“With a rod and reel, it takes about five to ten minutes to get them in, they are hard fighting fish with a strong tail,” he said.

“I don’t have experience with it, but to catch one spearfishing I can only imagine would be a tough task, it’s a decent fish to try and hang onto.”

Originally published as Fisherman’s amazing Gold Coast Coast catch